Warner's sizzling series-opening record

David Warner has built a formidable reputation for getting Australia off to solid starts but the Test opener has developed a knack in recent years for providing a solid foundation for his side in a different way.

South Africa, Australia’s opponents for Thursday’s first Commonwealth Bank Test at the WACA, will likely be well-aware of Warner’s incredible record in Australia’s summer-opening Tests in recent years.

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The New South Welshman has struck twin centuries in the previous two first Tests of the Australian season and has five tons in six innings from the last three season-openers.

His remarkable streak began in the first Test of the 2013-14 Ashes, where Warner followed up his first-innings 49 by putting England to the sword in the second dig, posting a 154-ball 124.

He cracked 145 and 102 the following summer against India in an emotional first Test at the Adelaide Oval, before beginning the 2015-16 Australian season with 163 and 116 against New Zealand in Brisbane.

Warner has propelled his side to wins in each of those matches and Australia haven’t lost a first Test of the summer since Warner made his debut in the longest format in the 2011-12 season-opener against the Black Caps. 

The left-hander’s impeccable record at the start of the Australian season matches up with his impressive record in Tests at home.

In 27 matches on Australian soil, Warner has 12 hundreds to his name and holds an imposing average of 60.56.

It stands in contrast to his away record. In 25 Tests abroad, Warner averages 38.53 and since notching his most recent Test century on foreign soil – 133 in Dubai against Pakistan in October 2014 – he averages 33.12 away from home.

Despite his struggles abroad, relative to his lofty standards at international level, Warner has begun Test series, both home and away, in excellent fashion.

In the last 12 Test series-openers Warner has played in, he’s plundered 1370 runs at 62.27.

It’s a record South Africa would do well to take not of, as Dale Steyn and co. look for a way to stop the 30-year-old from again starting the home summer in style.

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